system and method for optimizing generation of electrical power

Claim 2

In a system comprising an asynchronous generator rotatable at variable speeds, and a main electrical network carrying power at a substantially constant voltage and frequency, the improvement comprising: a synchronizer having an electronic optimization controller con­nected in circuit between said generator and said network, said synchronizer being capable of receiving electrical power at variable voltages and frequencies from said generator and con­trollably and continuously injecting said power into said network at substantially constant voltage and frequency.

Claim 3

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said synchronizer includes a controller responsible for identifying the optimal speed of the generator's shaft for maximum power generation for any given maximum available power condition and for controlling the rotation of the shaft at said speed.

Claim 4

The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said controller comprises: means for measuring the actual instantaneous power; circuit means for continuously determining the actual maximum available power, and circuit means for changing the generator's frequency and thereby the generator's speed to generate power to the mains at said determined maximum available power.

Claim 5

The system as claimed in claim 3 further comprising delay means for delaying the further operation of maximum power availability determination for a predetermined period of time, after each determi­nation of the actual instantaneous power available and the changing of the generator's frequency to match the same, as well as delaying the operation after reaching the maximum power available.

Claim 8

The method is claimed in claim 5 further comprising the steps of: e) periodically checking for deviations, exceeding a pre­determined range from said maximum available power, and f) repeating steps b) to e) upon determination of a deviation of the available power from said predetermined range.

Claim 9

An electronic optimization controller for identifying and controlling the optimal speed of operation of a generator for generating maximum electrical power output in a system including an asynchronous generator rotatable at variable speeds and a synchronizer connected between said generator and electrical power mains, said controller comprising: sample and memory means for continuously monitoring and storing signals representative of the actual instantaneous generated output power; a comparator for comparing an instant output power signal with a previous output power signal and providing a signal indicative of the direction and magnitude of a power output change; a first memory connected to said comparator for storing the signal indicative of he direction of the power output change; a logic circuit fed by said memory for determining the direction of the frequency change to be induced in the generator resulting from the last change in the generator's power output and the last change in the generator's frequency; a second memory connected to said logic circuit for storing the signal indicative of the direction of the frequency change of said generator; circuit means connected to said memory and responsive to a decrease of power output of the generator, which follows a previous increase of power, by emitting an output signal activating a delay circuit for keeping the generator at a constant speed for a predetermined period of time; a power change magnitude detection circuit, connected for receiving signals from said comparator and adapted to activate an optimization starting circuit whenever the magnitude of a signal representative of the power change exceeds a predetermined value, and a trigger circuit connected to the output of said logic circuit, for triggering the synchronizer's inverter for changing the generator's speed in a direction determined by said logic circuit.

Claim 10

An electronic optimization controller for identifying and controlling the optimal speed of operation of a generator for generating maximum electrical power output in a system including an asynchronous generator rotatable at variable speeds and a synchronizer connected between said generator and electrical power mains, said controller comprising: sample and memory means for continuously monitoring and storing signals representative of the actual instantaneous generated output power; a comparator for comparing an instant output power signal with a previous output power signal and providing a signal indicative of the direction and magnitude of a power output change; a first memory connected to said comparator for storing the signal indicative of he direction of the power output change; a logic circuit fed by said memory for determining the direction of the frequency change to be induced in the generator resulting from the last change in the generator's power output and the last change in the generator's frequency; a second memory connected to said logic circuit for storing the signal indicative of the direction of the frequency change of said generator; circuit means connected to said memory and responsive to a decrease of power output of the generator, which follows a previous increase of power, by emitting an output signal activating a delay circuit for keeping the generator at a constant speed for a predetermined period of time; a power change magnitude detection circuit, connected for receiving signals from said comparator and adapted to activate an optimization starting circuit whenever the magnitude of a signal representative of the power change exceeds a predetermined value, and a trigger circuit connected to the output of said logic circuit, for triggering the synchronizer's inverter for changing the generator's speed in a direction determined by said logic circuit.

Claim 11

The controller as claimed in claim 7 further comprising switching means for manually increasing or decreasing the generator's speed.

Claim 16

An electronic optimization controller substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Claim 17

An electronic optimization controller substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.